Iran-Associated Hackers That Leaked Trump Officials' Emails Last Year Are Now Threatening to Release More: Report

An Iranian-linked hacker group that leaked emails from the allies of President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign is now threatening to release even more stolen data.

The group, which uses the alias "Robert," first emerged in the closing stretch of the 2024 presidential race, claiming responsibility for breaching email accounts belonging to high-profile Trump affiliates, including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and attorney Lindsey Halligan.

Although some of the material was authenticated and included sensitive campaign communications and legal discussions, the leaks ultimately had little impact on the election's outcome.

In September 2024, the U.S. Justice Department alleged the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps orchestrated the campaign, though Tehran has denied involvement in past cyberespionage efforts, Reuters reported. The hackers, for their part, refused to confirm any connection.

After previously declaring themselves "retired," the group resumed communications this week with Reuters, stating they were preparing to release, or possibly sell, a trove of about 100 gigabytes of stolen emails. While they offered few details, they suggested media organizations should "broadcast this matter."

While the group did not offer an explanation for the sudden revisit to the hacking, the group's shift comes just weeks after a 12-day military clash between Israel and Iran, where U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites came just days before the conflict ended.

Experts suggest the timing of the threat could be part of a broader strategy by Tehran to retaliate through non-military channels that won't invite immediate escalation.